Claims
- 1. A chair, comprising:seat support structure including a support member; and a seat formed of a flexible material, said seat comprising: a central front portion positioned upon and supported by said support member; and a pair of side portions, each side portion including at least one rigid member connected to said flexible material and supported by said seat support structure, said seat resiliently flexible responsive to the weight of a seated user between a first position in which said seat has a generally flat shape, and a second position in which said side portions are flexed downwardly about said support member beneath said central front portion of said seat to form a saddle shape.
- 2. The chair of claim 1, wherein said flexible material is an elastomeric material.
- 3. The chair of claim 2, wherein said elastomeric material is one of a flexible urethane material and a flexible silicone material.
- 4. The chair of claim 1, wherein said rigid members are embedded within said flexible material, said flexible material at least partially surrounding said rigid members.
- 5. The chair of claim 1, wherein said rigid members are made from one of a metal, a rigid plastic material, and wood.
- 6. The chair of claim 1, wherein said flexible material occupies an area of said seat which is normally disposed beneath the ischium of a seated user.
- 7. The chair of claim 1, wherein said side portions of said seat are independently flexible with respect to one another between said first and second positions responsive to the weight of a seated user.
- 8. The chair of claim 1, wherein said seat support structure includes a pair of uprights disposed on opposite sides of said seat, and a backrest pivotally connected to said uprights.
- 9. A chair, comprising:seat support structure; and a seat supported by said seat support structure, said seat having a central front portion disposed between a pair of opposite side portions, said seat formed of an elastically flexible material having at least one rigid member embedded within said flexible material, said seat resiliently movable responsive to the weight of a seated user between a first, unflexed position and a second, flexed position in which said opposite side portions of said seat are flexed downwardly about said central front portion of said seat to provide a saddle shape.
- 10. The chair of claim 9, wherein said seat support structure comprises a rigid support member disposed centrally beneath said seat, said rigid support member engaging said central front portion of said seat, wherein said opposite side portions of said seat may flex about said rigid support member between said first and second positions.
- 11. The chair of claim 9, wherein said flexible material is an elastomeric material, said material molded around each of said rigid members.
- 12. The chair of claim 11, wherein said elastomeric material is one of a flexible urethane material and a flexible silicone material.
- 13. The chair of claim 9, comprising a pair of said rigid members respectively embedded within said side portions of said seat.
- 14. The chair of claim 9, wherein said side portions of said seat are independently flexible with respect to one another between said first and second positions responsive to the weight of a seated user.
- 15. The chair of claim 9, wherein said flexible material occupies an area of said seat which is normally disposed beneath the ischium of a seated user.
- 16. The chair of claim 9, wherein said seat support structure includes a pair of uprights disposed on opposite sides of said seat, and a backrest pivotally connected to said uprights.
- 17. A chair, comprising:seat support structure including a support member; and a seat supported by said seat support structure, said seat comprising: a flexible central portion positioned upon and supported by said support member; a pair of opposite flexible side portions, each said side portion including a rigid member embedded therein, said seat elastically movable between a first, unflexed position in which said seat has a generally flat shape and a second, flexed position in which said side portions of said seat are flexed downwardly about said support member to form a saddle shape.
- 18. The chair of claim 17, wherein said flexible central and side portions are made of an elastomeric material.
- 19. The chair of wherein said elastomeric material is one of a flexible urethane material and a flexible silicone material.
- 20. The chair of claim 17, wherein said flexible central portion occupies an area of said seat which is normally disposed beneath the ischium of seated a user.
- 21. The chair of claim 17, wherein said seat support structure includes a pair of uprights disposed on opposite sides of said seat, and a backrest pivotally connected to said uprights.
- 22. The chair of claim 17, wherein said side portions of said seat are independently flexible with respect to one another between said first and second positions responsive to the weight of a seated user.
- 23. A chair, comprising:seat support structure including a support member; and a seat formed of a flexible material, comprising: a pair of opposite rear side portions each connected to said seat support structure; a pair of front side portions; and a front central portion disposed between said front side portions, said front central portion positioned upon and engaging said support member, said seat resiliently flexible responsive to the weight of a seated user between a first position in which said seat has a generally flat shape, and a second position in which said front side portions of said seat are flexed downwardly about said support member to form a saddle shape, said opposite front side portions of said seat independently flexible with respect to one another responsive to the weight of a seated user.
- 24. The chair of claim 23, wherein said flexible material is an elastomeric material.
- 25. The chair of claim 24, wherein said elastomeric material is one of a flexible urethane material and a flexible silicone material.
- 26. The chair of claim 23, wherein said seal further includes at least one rigid portion embedded within said flexible material.
- 27. The chair of claim 23, wherein said seat support structure includes a pair of uprights disposed on opposite sides of said seat, and a backrest pivotally connected to said uprights.
- 28. The chair of claim 1, wherein wherein said seat further comprises a rear portion including said rigid member, said rigid member including a cutout positioned in an area of said seat which is normally disposed beneath the ischium of a seated user, said flexible material at least partially filling said cutout.
- 29. The chair of claim 1, wherein said seat support structure comprises a flex lockout mechanism, said flex lockout mechanism, said flex lockout mechanism moveable between a first position in which said lockout mechanism prevents flexing of said seat and a second position in which said lockout mechanism permits flexing of said seat.
- 30. The chair of claim 1, wherein said seat support structure includes a caster wheel assembly having a height-adjustable pneumatic cylinder extending upwardly therefrom, said cylinder including an upper end operably supporting said seat.
- 31. The chair of claim 9, wherein said seat support structure comprises a flex lockout mechanism, said flex lockout mechanism moveable between a first position in which said lockout mechanism prevents flexing of said seat and a second position in which said lockout mechanism permits flexing of said seat.
- 32. The chair of claim 17, wherein said seat support structure comprises a flex lockout mechanism, said flex lockout mechanism moveable between a first position in which said lockout mechanism prevents flexing of said seat and a second position in which said lockout mechanism permits flexing of said seat.
- 33. The chair of claim 23, wherein said seat support structure comprises a flex lockout mechanism, said flex lockout mechanism moveable between a first position in which said lockout mechanism prevents flexing of said and a second position in which said lockout mechanism permits flexing of said seat.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefit under Title 35, U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/340,570, entitled CHAIR WITH CONFORMING SEAT, filed on Dec. 14, 2001.
US Referenced Citations (43)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
26 30 267 |
Jan 1978 |
DE |
WO 0207567 |
Jan 2002 |
WO |
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/340570 |
Dec 2001 |
US |